The sun hung high, and the September weather was exceedingly scorching and glaring.
The gates of Sheng’an City were tightly shut, with every household inside the city having their doors closed. The streets were extremely deserted and clean, and the air was filled with a strong scent of mugwort.
On the street, only a few clerks from the Government Office were moving around, each of them with a white veil over their face, holding a "grass bundle" emitting thick smoke. The intense mugwort scent in the air came from the smoke released by these "grass bundles".
At that moment, a team of riders approached from the city gate’s direction. Each of them was riding a horse, and aside from the few at the front, all were dressed in bright armor, carrying unusual longbows, their expressions stern.
Those with broad knowledge immediately recognized that the horses these people rode were war horses, and from the armor they wore, it was clear this group had an unusual background.
"The official has returned."
A clerk recognized their county magistrate.
"Who are those young people beside the county magistrate? It seems the official fears them greatly."
"Hush, they are likely sent from above."
The leading clerk whispered, bending forward as he quickly went to greet them.
"This minor official greets you, sirs."
The county magistrate of Sheng’an County was about to speak, but the handsome young man on the white horse immediately signaled with his eyes, saying, "Let’s go straight to the Yizhuang."
"Understood." The county magistrate of Sheng’an County dared not disobey, waving for the leading clerk to go about his own business.
As the group passed by the leading clerk, the woman with a half-face mask beside the handsome young man said, "Burning mugwort is useless against the plague. You should crush Chicken Heart Grass and Chonglou Flower into juice, find a clean cloth to soak in the juice, let it dry, and cover your nose and mouth with it to prevent the plague."
This voice was very hoarse and peculiar, making the leading clerk pause.
The county magistrate of Sheng’an County then sternly instructed, "Follow the noble’s orders and do as told. After preparing, distribute it to the entire city’s people."
"Understood."
The leading clerk hurriedly took the others to carry out the instructions.
After those clerks left, the county magistrate of Sheng’an County hastily explained, perhaps shifting the blame, "It was the city’s doctors who said that mugwort repels poison and wards off evil."
"The doctors aren’t wrong; mugwort does repel poison and ward off evil, but it’s useless against the current plague," Nalan Yiren said.
The county magistrate of Sheng’an County nodded in compliance.
Soon, the group arrived outside the Yizhuang.
Sun Meng arranged for the surrounding area to be set up with sentries and vigilance.
Seeing Chen Mo dismounting and about to head into the Yizhuang, the Prefect of Youzhou, who hadn’t spoken earlier, hastily reminded, "Your Majesty, the inside is full of corpses who died from the plague; take care of the dragon body."
But Chen Mo just gave him a look and proceeded to walk into the Yizhuang.
The Prefect of Youzhou had no choice but to follow.
The county magistrate of Sheng’an County certainly didn’t dare linger outside; he pulled out a handkerchief perfumed with mugwort from his pocket, covered his nose and mouth, and braced himself to follow inside.
Though the noble had said it was useless, he didn’t care whether it worked or not, as long as it brought some peace of mind.
The courtyard of Yizhuang was stacked with the city’s citizens who had died from the plague, brought over by the clerks for collective cremation.
The smell of mugwort inside was even stronger than in the city, meant to both repel evil and poison and suppress the stench emitted by the corpses in Yizhuang.
Inside, three corpses were laid out. According to the county magistrate of Sheng’an County, Guan Rong’s body was also present, not yet subject to collective cremation.
The weather was hot, and they had been dead for some time, so the stench in the room, too strong for even the mugwort to suppress, was nauseating.
However, Nalan Yiren’s eyes were filled with an exploratory spirit. After taking out a pair of gloves made from some animal’s intestines, she began examining the three corpses like a forensic doctor.
The Prefect of Youzhou and the county magistrate of Sheng’an County were unaware of Nalan Yiren’s identity. Although she wore a half-face mask, her youth was evident, and in medical skill, the older generally were believed to be the more skillful.
Thus, the two harbored doubts about Nalan Yiren’s abilities.
Only with Chen Mo present did they not dare express any doubt.
Time ticked away slowly.
Before long, an hour had passed.
The stench inside the room, combined with the sweltering weather and prolonged standing, was making the Prefect of Youzhou and the county magistrate of Sheng’an County feel slightly unwell. They wiped the sweat from their foreheads, longing to ask whether it was over, yet seeing Chen Mo showing no discomfort, they kept their mouths shut.
Half an hour more passed.
Seeing Nalan Yiren still pricking with silver needles and dissecting, Chen Mo couldn’t help but ask, "Yiren, any certainty?"
"Ah?" Nalan Yiren was startled.
"I’m asking if you are certain?"
"No problem. I’ll write a prescription, get the medicine according to it, and the infected will recover after taking it," Nalan Yiren replied.
Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.
The Prefect of Youzhou and the county magistrate of Sheng’an County also sighed in relief, smiles spreading on their faces. Though Nalan Yiren had only spoken and the prescription’s effectiveness was yet to be seen, they were already grateful to her for the sake of Youzhou’s and Sheng’an’s citizens.
Once Nalan Yiren finished writing the prescription, the county magistrate of Sheng’an County took it and quickly went to make arrangements, as did the Prefect of Youzhou.
After the two left, Chen Mo asked, "Yiren, was it very tricky?"
"Not tricky at all, why do you ask?"
"I saw you studying for so long."